In Japan, Television Viewing Doesn't Have to Take a Back Seat

When selling car navigation systems, Japanese retailer Autobacs touts a special add-on: kits that convert the mapping gadgets into televisions, so drivers can watch their favorite shows. "Even While Driving—Enables Digital Viewing and Navigation Operation," boasts the package of one kit resting atop new navigation systems in a Tokyo store. Boxes of other converters show "before" and "after" images of a navigation screen transformed into a TV depicting a soccer game broadcast. In the US, televisions are popular in the back seat of minivans, but front-seat TV viewing is rare. Many states ban installation of a TV anywhere near a driver's field of vision.